Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963
Pyrgus ruralis
This record describes Pyrgus ruralis (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adults: Upperside is light-to-blackish brown with forewings blacker above than forewings of Grizzled Skipper ( P. centaureae ); forewing has squarish white spots; hindwing usually has 2 rows of white spots which are more clearly defined than in P. centaureae. Underside is gray or slightly richer brown than P. centaureae , with dull spots that are often obscure. Male has a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the forewing.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Pyrginae
- Tribe
- Pyrgini
- Genus
- Pyrgus (Checkered-Skippers)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Forest clearings, meadows, pastures, streamsides; from sea level to 10,000 feet.
Geographic Range
Inconspicuous, usually local and uncommon. Flies in the northwestern U.S. reaching to southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Flies in Canada reaching only in Alberta north to Nordegg, southern British Columbia north to Yoho National Park, and on southern and central Vancouver Island.
Seasonal Activity
One brood from April-July.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Caterpillar hosts: Herbaceous plants in the rose family (Rosaceae) including Drummond's potentilla (Potentilla drummondii), dusky horkelia (Horkelia fusca), Santa Rosa horkelia (H. tenuiloba), Cleveland's horkelia (H. bolanderi clevelandii), and probably others. Adults take flower nectar.
Life History
To find receptive females, males patrol and sometimes perch close to the ground in valley bottoms or swales. Females lay eggs singly on the host plant. Caterpillars make a webbed leaf nest in which they live and feed.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pyrgus ruralis. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Ted Kropiewnicki , Nick Block
Frequently Asked Questions About Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963
What is Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963?
Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963 (Pyrgus ruralis) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963?
Wingspan 2.5 - 2.9 cm
How do you identify Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963?
Adults: Upperside is light-to-blackish brown with forewings blacker above than forewings of Grizzled Skipper ( P. centaureae ); forewing has squarish white spots; hindwing usually has 2 rows of white spots which are more clearly defined than in P. centaureae. Underside is gray or slightly richer brown than P. centaureae , with dull spots that are often obscure. Male has a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the forewing.
Where is Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Forest clearings, meadows, pastures, streamsides; from sea level to 10,000 feet. |
| Range | Inconspicuous, usually local and uncommon. Flies in the northwestern U.S. reaching to southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Flies in Canada reaching only in Alberta north to Nordegg, southern British Columbia north to Yoho National Park, and on southern and central Vancouver Island. |
What does Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963 eat?
The diet of the Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963 includes Caterpillar hosts: Herbaceous plants in the rose family (Rosaceae) including Drummond's potentilla (Potentilla drummondii), dusky horkelia (Horkelia fusca), Santa Rosa horkelia (H. tenuiloba), Cleveland's horkelia (H. bolanderi clevelandii), and probably others. Adults take flower nectar..
When is Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963 active?
Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963: seasonal activity - One brood from April-July..
What is the life cycle of a Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963?
To find receptive females, males patrol and sometimes perch close to the ground in valley bottoms or swales. Females lay eggs singly on the host plant. Caterpillars make a webbed leaf nest in which they live and feed.